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《敎育專欄》

 

FOCUS ON EDUCATION

慈祥代天宣化 忠孝為國敎民

On behalf of Heaven,proclaim and transform with kindness.For the country,teach the people to be loyal and filial.

弟子規淺釋
An Explanation of the Rules for Being A Student

第六章 親仁
Chapter 6:On Drawing Near to the Humane

孫秀美 文 Explained by Jennifer Lin
逸蓮 英譯 English translation by Yilian

wei de xue   wei cai yi
只有 品德 學識 只有 才能 技藝
only if virtue knowledge only if talents skills

只有在品德學識以及才能技藝上頭,
If your virtue, learning, and talents

bu ru ren   chang zi li
比不上 他人 經常地 自己 勉勵
not as good as others always self to urge

發現有不如人的時候,應當時時自我勉勵。
do not measure up to your friends',then spur yourself on to try harder.

ruo yi fu   ruo yin shi
至於 上衣 下服 至於 飲料 食物
as to top, shirts skirts or pants as to drinks food

至於在穿的衣服和吃的食物方面,
If your clothes or your food

bu ru ren   wu sheng qi
比不上 他人 不要 生起 憂傷
not as good as others do not to give rise to sorrow

發現有不如人的地方,不須心生煩惱哀傷。
aren't as good as others', don't be sad or upset.

如果你問:「人生在世,什麼是最可寶貴的?」相信很多人都會說是金銀珠寶、良田美宅,或者家庭和樂、事業順利之類的。其實,人最可寶貴的資產是道德;唯有以德為寶,方能致力於德業;唯有致力於德業,方能修道成德;唯有修道成德,方能仰不愧於天,俯不怍於人。所謂「仁者不憂,智者不惑,勇者不懼。」究竟不憂不惑不懼什麼?又為什麼不憂不惑不懼?其實說穿了,這中間的關鍵,就是「名」、「利」二字。仁者安仁,不憂名利之有無;智者利仁,不惑名利之得失;勇者好仁,不懼名利之大小。這三種人都是以德為寶,發達時謙虛好禮,窮困時也怡然自得,一生做事堂堂正正,無求於名利;既無求於名利,自然也無所求於人,那麼又有何可憂可惑可懼之事?

像孔子的學生子路,就是個真正的勇者;史上說子路穿著破蔽的衣服,側身於公卿之間,他也毫不忸怩畏怯。為什麼?因為他操守正直,心胸坦蕩蕩,自然不會畏懼強權而卑微自傷。孔子另一個弟子原憲,也是個清淨守節、貧而樂道,不恥惡衣惡食的人。孔子在世時,他就已非常耿介清廉;孔子去世後,原憲也不做官了,就隱居在衛國的鄉野間。雖然他住的房子是架茅草為頂,編蓬草為扉,不但風穿得進,雨也滲得透,吃的更是野菜淡水,還常常有一餐沒一餐的;但是他照樣正襟危坐,弦歌不輟。子貢做了衛國的宰相後,就衣錦著緞地帶了浩浩蕩蕩一堆人馬,穿荒越野,去到貧民戶,探望原憲這位老同學。子貢一看原憲衣冠破蔽,又形容枯槁憔悴,很不以為然,衝口就問他:「你是病了嗎?」原憲說:「我聽說:『沒有財產的,叫做貧窮;學了道而卻不能去實踐的,叫做有病。』像我這樣,只是貧窮,不是有病!」子貢聽了,感到非常慚愧,悶悶不樂地走了;終其一生,子貢都以自己的言語失檢為恥。其實子貢本就是個口齒伶俐、長袖善舞的生意奇才,和原憲本就貧富懸殊;加上又做了官,既富且貴,子貢還能惦念老朋友而去看望,也是難得了!乍見原憲的清苦,子貢用「學而優則仕」的觀點,對原憲表示不以為然,那也是出於對人才的惋惜,我們倒不須對子貢太過苛責;何況子貢聞過則懺,終身恥之,這一點也不是常人的修養所能企及的。至於原憲的不慕富貴、甘苦如飴,則殊屬難能可貴,值得敬佩。

唐朝的大詩人白居易曾寫了個續座右銘,其中有四句說:「勿慕富與貴,勿憂貧與賤;自問道何如,貴賤安足雲?」這意思和論語上說的「君子謀道不謀食」一樣,都是教人以進德修道為要務,毋須為衣服飲食等身外之物去傷神。俗話說:「山珍海味,不過日食三餐;華屋廣廈,不過寢時數尺。」有什麼好汲汲營營的呢?況且若為了口腹之欲而恣殺牲禽,那罪過又不只是一生一世的報應了!

If you ask people, "What is the most important thing in life?" most would probably give answers such as gold, silver, precious gems, fertile fields and fine houses, or a happy family and a successful career. Actually, the most precious thing we own is our virtue. Only by cherishing virtue as a treasure can we devote ourselves to practicing virtuous deeds; only by devoting ourselves to virtuous work can we cultivate the Way and achieve virtue; and only by cultivating the Way and achieving virtue can we maintain a good conscience and have no cause for remorse before Heaven and people. As it's said, "The humane are not worried; the wise are not deluded; the brave are not frightened. "What is it that they are not worried, deluded, or frightened about? And why are they not worried, deluded, or frightened? Actually, fame and profit are at the bottom of it. The humane dwell in humaneness and don't worry about whether or not they have fame or profit. The wise help the humane and are not deluded by the gain or loss of fame and profit. The brave admire the humane and are not afraid of whether their fame and profit are large or small. These three types of people all cherish virtue. When they are successful, they are modest and courteous. When they are in poverty, they remain peaceful and content. In whatever they do, they do it properly without seeking fame or profit. Since they aren't seeking fame or profit, they naturally will not expect things from others, and so what could they possibly be worried, deluded, or frightened about?

Confucius' disciple Zilu, for example, was truly a brave man. It is recorded in history that, dressed in ragged clothes, he mingled with lords and dukes without the slightest embarrassment or fear. Why was this? It was because his character was honest and straightforward, and so he had no reason to feel inferior to or afraid of powerful people. Yuan Xian, another disciple of Confucius, was a person of virtuous purity who was poor yet delighted in the truth and was not ashamed of his humble clothing or food. When Confucius was still alive, Yuan Xian was already very resolute and incorruptible. After Confucius passed away, he resigned from his govern­ment post and became a hermit in the wilderness of the state of Wei. Al­though his roof was made of thatch and his door of raspberry vines, through which the wind could blow and the rain could seep in, and what he ate was wild vegetables and plain water, and he didn't always have food for a meal, he continued to kneel and play on his lute without pause. After Zi Gong became the prime minister of Wei, he went, dressed in satin and accompa­nied by a large retinue of mounted men, through the wilderness to where the poor peasants lived, to visit his old friend Yuan Xian. When Zi Gong saw Yuan Xian dressed in tattered clothes and looking gaunt and haggard, he asked in surprise, "Are you sick?"Yuan Xian replied, "I've heard it said that, 'Those who own nothing are said to be poor; those who study the Way and are unable to practice it are said to be sick. 'I am merely poor, not sick! "Upon hearing those words, Zi Gong felt very ashamed and left in low spirits. Throughout his life, Zi Gong always felt ashamed if he spoke carelessly. Actually Zi Gong was a talented businessman who could ex­press himself very eloquently. He and Yuan Xian were totally disparate in terms of wealth. As an official, Zi Gong was both rich and honored. It's quite remarkable that he showed such concern for his old friend and went to visit him. Seeing Yuan Xian's poverty, Zi Gong expressed his surprise from the point of view that "an official is one who studies and gains abun­dantly" and out of grief that someone of talent should suffer so. Therefore, we need not criticize Zi Gong too much, since he was one who would repent and feel lifelong shame whenever he learned of his own faults. This is not a quality found in ordinary people. Yuan Xian's disregard for wealth and honor and his ability to take the bitter with the sweet is also a rare quality worthy of our admiration.

The great poet Bai Juyi of the Tang dynasty once wrote a poem containing the following lines: "Yearn not for wealth and honor. Grieve not about poverty and low status. Ask yourself how your cultivation of the Way is, and that will suffice to determine whether you are noble or lowly." This is the same principle as that expressed in the line from the Confucian Analects: "The superior person devotes his attention to the Way and not to food." These sayings tell people that cultivating virtue is the essential thing, and we should not waste our energy on externals such as clothing aid food. An idiom says, "You may have all the delicacies of the world, but you cannot eat more than three meals in a day. You may have luxurious, sprawling mansions, but you only take up a few feet of space when you sleep." What' s the point of working so hectically for such things? And if you kill creatures just to please your palate, you may suffer the consequences for many lifetimes to come!

伽斑豆抹醬三明治

午餐或野餐適用
蜜蘇裏提供

2罐 或 1 1/2罐 伽斑菆豆(脫水)。泡水煮至柔軟。
1 1/2 罐 酸乳酪或優酪或二者皆可
1 1/2 茶 匙 鹽
1/2 茶 匙 胡椒粉
1 茶 匙 意大利乾燥香料
1 茶 匙 橄欖油

在平底鍋中加熱橄欖油。加人伽斑菆豆與香料。拌煮七 分鐘。冷卻後擣碎伽斑菆豆。加人酸乳酪。灑點新鮮香 草。抹上餅乾或麵包為食。

三明治:

抹上自己喜愛的吐司麵包。
加入一片蕃茄和阿法法作三明治。

Garbanzo Bean Spread and Sandwich

Great for lunch or picnic!
Recipe from Julia Misri

Ingredients:

2 or 1½ cans garbanzo beans (drained), soaked & cooked until tender
1½ cans sour cream or yogurt or both.
1½ tsp salt
½ tsp pepper
1 tsp Italian seasonings
1 tsp olive oil

Heat olive oil in a saucepan. Add the garbanzo beans & spices. Saute for 7 minutes. Let cool, then mash the beans. Add the sour cream. Garnish with fresh cilantro. Serve with crackers or bread.

Sandwich:

Make a sandwich with your favorite bread.
Add a slice of tomato and alfalfa.

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